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Dog Balloons Up And No One Can Figure Out What's Wrong

Trevor the dog is your typical sort of dachshund — a long, squat and slender pup full of playful energy. But recently, something quite shocking happened to him, leaving Trevor more than just a little out of shape.

Trevor's owner, Fran Jennings of England, was understandably alarmed. Something was clearly wrong with her dog, but she had no idea what. So, she rushed Trevor to a Willows Veterinary Group medical facility for help.

Even the vets there were stumped at first.

"They had never seen anything quite like it," Jennings said in a press release. “Whatever it was, it affected his breathing so we had to leave him there while they tried to find out what was wrong.”

A thorough examination and X-rays, however, ultimately found the source of Trevor's problem.

Turns out, Trevor had somehow gotten an internal injury, the cause of which is still unclear. A small hole was found in his windpipe, and that was causing air to leak through into his body under his skin and around his muscles. With every breath, the little dog was literally inflating himself.

“I have never seen a case like this before," veterinarian Michelle Coward said.

Fortunately, Coward successfully performed surgery to patch the hole in Trevor's windpipe — and before too long, he was back to his old self again.

Trevor's vet says she doesn't think his air-filled ordeal will have any lasting impact on his health. In fact, (somewhat ironically perhaps) the "flat" former balloon is now as light on his feet as ever.

"When he came back for his checkups following the surgery he was very bouncy and happy," Coward said. "He’s a great character and everybody loves him. He was a pleasure to nurse."